Improvement in pitman-connections



G. H. EARNEST. PITMAN-GONNECTION;

Patented Dec.7, 1875 UNITED STATES PATENT OEETGEa N GEORGE H. EARNEST, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. y

IMPROVEMENT IN PlTMAN-CONNECTIONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,666, dated December 7, 1875; application led January 4,1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. EAENEST, of the city of Springfield, county of Clarke and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Pitman-Connections for Harvesters, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to improvements in pitman-connections for harvesters, the object being to allow of perfect freedom of motion in the parts in whatever position the sickle or knife may be placed, to relieve the connections from excessive friction and wear to make the sickle-connection in direct line through the end of its head, instead of on one side, as is usual in pitman-connections, thus making the wear equal on each edge of the knife-bar, thehead of the pitman-rod acting as a pivot on which the sickle-head can partially rotate in raising and lowering the points of the guards.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sicklehead connection. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, in elevation, of the connecting parts shown in Figs. 1. and 2. Fig. 4 is an inside view of one of the shells, f, shown in Figs. 2 and 8. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the plug-shell c. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the'same.

In Fig. l, alI is the sickle-head, which is made large enough to give sufcient size to the workin g parts of the pitman-connection within it. It may be forged in one piece with the knife-bar, or it may be made separately, of malleable iron, and riveted or bolted to it. An opening is made in the front of the head, and another in the top. The latter is made for the introduction of the ball end b' of the pitmanrod b. The bottom and rear side of the head areintact. The inner part or end of the front hole, in connection with the inside cavity c of theplug-shell c, Figs. 1, 2, 6, 7, forms a spherical cavity for the reception of the shell-sections ff, (shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5.) Within these is the ball end b of the pitman-rod b, Fig. 3. The part f' is cut out so as to form a hole when the sections f f are placed together for the reception of the neck of the ball. It is made a littlelarger than that part of the rod which forms the neck, to give sufficient play when operated. It is ared outward correspondingly with the slot h, which is cut down in the middle of they heel end of a, from the top hole g to near the bottom of the inner cavity, its sides and bottom part being flared or beveled outward, to give room for the movements of this end of the pitman-rod.

lt will be noticed that the openingf in the united shell-sectionsff is not quite so large as the slot, so that the radial movement given to the rod in operating is communicated first to them, they performing almost the same function as the inside ball b', making the connection that of a double ball-joint. A bar, c, extends diagonally across the front of the sickle-head a, over the plug-shell c, Figs. 1 and 2, its ends being screwed down to the head-piece by screws c. lt is tapped in the center for the set-screw c, with which it is provided for adjust-ment of the pressure -upon c, and taking up lost motion from wear.

In Fig. 2 the position of the plug-shell or cup c is shown from the top, and the distance it extends over the half-shell f on that side. The exterior of f f is shown in the outside circular dotted line. It also shows the spherical shape of the cavity in the back part of the sickle-head, and that of c' in the plugshell c. A space is left between the edges of the two ,shells f, for wear. (See Fig. 2.) The inside circular dotted line in this figure represents the ball b. readily seen in the sectional View, Fig. 3, a minute space being seen between them. Slot h, which extends from the top hole g down to a point below the center of the head a., being beveled or ared outward all around, allows the pitman-rod to operate below the level of the cutter-bar, and at less than a right angle when the latter is folded.

The piece which` forms the plug-shell c may be either of wrought or malleable iron, the key or gib d, in either case, being formed on it. lt fits into a groove in the side of the hole (in which c is inserted) formed to receive it. The object of d is to prevent the plug-shell c from turning during the operation of connection.

In attaching this end of the pitman-rod to the sickle-head a, one ofthe shells f is first inserted into the head from the front through the hole in which plug c is shown, Figs. 1 and 2, its openings f' toward the heel or right end,

The inside line of shellf is more 2 nasce y as shown in drawings, Sheet 1, and partially rotated, so as lo lie on the bottom of the cavity with its' hollow side up. The head of the pitman b is next inserted from the top through hole g, allowing the neck to fall down in slot h, and the half-openingf in the shell-section f, which latter is again partially lrotated to its place against the cavity in the back of the head, and the other half-shell, f, inserted from the front with its cavity inward over the exposed half of ball-head b', after which the shell-plug` c is introduced and secured, as before stated.

This form of connection with the sicklehead-having two ball-heads, one within the Y other, with sufficient space to allow of the easy partial rotation of both in accommodating the movements Vot' the sickle-presentsthe advantage ot' large and equable bearing-surface with least amount ot" friction, workin-gsmoothly and easily in any of the'varied positions to which the sickle may be subjected,allows the latter to be worked (either forward or backward) ont of a right lille, and also to be'raised to less than a right angle while the machine is in motion. I

vThis construction is applicable to any connection in which there is a recipocatory movement deviating'from a right line. I ain-aware that the ball-joint is an old and well-known device, and thatV many modifications of it have been made;l but the improvements shown in my device, and its application to pitman connections and other mechanisms having` like movements in the specific forms and constructions specified, I beliere to be new. Y

I therefore claim as my improvementl. In a pitman-connection, a double balljoint, in which Athe outer ball consists of the two hemispherical shells f f, (divided vertically,) in combination with ball b of pitman-rodl b, plug-shell c, with its key d and sickle-head a, asshown and specified, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination ot' sickle-head a, hole g, withslot h, shell-plug c with its key d, bar e, screws e', and set-screws e, as shown and specied, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. Partsf of shells f, in combination with neck of ball b', and sloth of sickle-head a, as and vfor the purpose set- 'orthl 4. In combinatiompitnian-rod b with balli head b and shell-sections ff, sickle-head a with hole. g, slot l1., shell-plug c, and the securing and adjusting` devices specified, arranged'substantially as described. y

.5; In combination with sickle-head (Jn-ball b'-, shells f f, shell-plug c, bar e, screws e', setscrew e, and rod` b, with`bal1j, cups i and i', wheel A, bolt ll, pin'r, andnuts -a k lo', as shown and specified, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. v

GEORGE H. EARNEST. Attest: Y I

B. G. CoNvERsE, F.'Poon 

